Copy of Canterbury Tales Prologue

Comments (0)

Transcript of Copy of Canterbury Tales Prologue

The Canterbury Tales Young Appearance End: Canterbury Cathedral Normal height Curly hair Strong Embroidered clothes with red and white flowers, like a "meadow" Son of the Knight Flowers Red: symbolizes passion White: symbolizes innocence Currently practicing "courtly love" For his love For his youth Battle in Picardy, Flanders, and Artois In France Patron Saint of Travelers Saint Christopher Physical Description Brown face Nut-shaped head Wearing "medal of St. Christopher" Green coat with hood Brace on his arm In hopes to win his Lady's love Chaucer's Perspective Vague But slightly negative . . . ? Contrasting his father A favorite pilgrimage during Middle Ages The pilgrimage begins! St.Thomas Becket Shrine of murdered by knights of Henry II Archbishop of Canterbury By Geoffrey Chaucer The Knight Appearance: Activities Fighting around the world:, sea battles Crusades (Turks) plain armor rusty tunic good horse Heroic and Romantic Qualities: ChivalryTruthOpenhandednessCourtesyWiseMeek Gentle spoken - "A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen"- "His arrows had no draggled feathers low" Carrying sword, dagger, bow, shield, hunting horn Appearance 20 yrs old Activities -Sang, danced, drew-Played flute all day Character -Lover who would be a knight-Concerned with appearances SQUIRE Lance Prioress Madame Eglantine The Nun's Priest The Fair Friar Hubert Merchant Clerk Guildsmen The Wife of Bath The Challenge:30 pilgrims to tell 4 tales each(2 on the way there; 2 on the way back)Winner gets a free meal at the Inn Parson Plowman Miller Manciple Reeve Start: Southwark Tabard The Monk "This worthy man kept all his wits well set; / There was no one could say he was in debt." Traditional Pilgrims -Have a specific job or role in society-Have specific social expectations-Fit within the feudal or church hierarchy Whan that Aprill, with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the roote...Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesAnd palmeres for to seken straunge strondesTo ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; Nevertheless, while I have space and time,Before I go further in this tale of mine,I feel the most natural thing to do,Is to picture each of this group for you,To tell you how they all appeared to me -What sort they were and what rank they might be,And what they wore, the clothes they were dressed in;And first then with a knight I shall begin. Non-Traditional Pilgrims Social and Economic Opportunists -Aspiring middle class (city)-Non-traditional roles without clearly delineated expectations-Still expected to hold traditional social and moral values Flashcards: http://quizlet.com/53742/the-canterbury-tales-characters-flash-cards/ Appearance: -Motley Gown (multi-colored)-Expensive beaver hat-Stylish forked beard-Sat handsomely in saddle Activities: -Medieval stock broker/financial advisor-Knows exchange rates-Shrewd business tips Other -Self assured-Material values and concerns-Situational irony: appearance of wealth and monetary knowledge, but in reality = He was in debt (student) Appearance: ThinSeriousThreadbare coatRode a skinny horse Activities Study! Study! Study!Prayer"Gladly would he learn and gladly teach" Other: -Intellectual & Moral Values -Appearance vs. Reality: Not thin to appear studious; He was thin because he was studious!-Books more important than Food (red & black Aristotle)-Well spoken Lawyer Appearance: -a medley coat, silk, belted (not showy, but of good quality) Activities -Interpreting & applying the law-Arguing cases in court-Studying - knew all cases and laws-Land speculation-Title law-Appeared busier than he was Other Works hardMaterialistic values

"All was fee simple to him, in effect, / Wherefore his claims could never be suspect" (he transfers land to himself!) "For he was Epicurus' very son" Santa Clause: pure white beard ruddy face (sanguine) probably fatCarries: a silk purse a white dagger Activities: Eating and drinking!!!!Local politician - Sheriff & county auditor Other: Epicurean: -"held the opinion that the only measure of perfect happiness was simply pleasure"Generous: -St. Julian to the countryside-"It seemed to snow therein both food and drink" Appearance: Def: a wealthy landowner aspiring upper class Members of a Trade Guild 5 dif. professions - Appearance: General appearance of gear: new, very clean, silver mountings work pouches-well made & neat Activities: WeaverDyerTapestry-makerCarpenterHaberdasher Other: -Appear successful & hard working-Showy - fancy gear-High aspirations: -"Each one was ...fitted to have been an alderman" -Wives to be titled "madame" Traveled with the Guildsman Appearance: Had an ulcer on his leg Activities:Cooking! Good seasonings! The Physician Appearance: HealthyNot overweightClothes of blood red taffeta & Persian blue silk Activities -Great student of medicine (ancient doctors & modern treatments)-Combines medicine and astrology-Knows the humors Other: Opportunistic: made money off other's misfortunes (plague) In cahoots with pharmacist Gave no heed to Scripture Irony: gold = medicinal value physician's greed "loved he gold exceeding all" The Sailor Appearance: Sun-brownedCourse smockDagger on a string from his neck (pirate!) Activities: -From Dartmouth - shipping port known for piracy and brutality-Captain of Madeleine - famous pirate ship -Very knowledgeable in navigation -Fought well -Smuggled Other: -Dishonest "nice conscience was a thing he never kept"-Drunken sailor -steals wine while the trader sleeps-No value for life "by water he sent them home to every land" Appearance: -broad hips clothed in a skirt-bright red stockings-soft new shoes with spurs-large hat as wide as a shield-gap toothed (sensual & assertive)-red faced-wore old-fashioned handerkerchiefs "She was a good fellow" Activities: skilled in weavingtook many pilgrimagesMarried 5 times Other: somewhat deafloud, mouthy, full of adviceknew all about love

fiercely independent and domineeringLoved to be the center of show: -first to give her offering Appearance: PoorCarried a staff Activities: -Faithfully preached gospel-gave his own money to others-Loved to teach his people-Whole concern: turn sinners to heaven Other: -Not hypocritical -

-kind & industrious-patient in adversity-forgivinggenerous (shared his little with others)Content; not greedy -no desire to go to London & get rich praying for folks at St. Paul -"a shepherd, not a mercenary"Walked far and near to help his peopleLived what he taught: "a model his flock could understand"NOT CORRUPT! ~ confronted sin in both rich and poor "If gold rusts,what shall poor iron do?" "If a priest is foul in whom we trust,No wonder a layman shows a little rust>" The Parson's brother Appearance: rode a mare Activities: Traveled with the parsonHard worker - threshing, digging, shoveling up manure Other: -A true Christian brother-Glad to help others(freely)-Loved God with whole heart-Loved neighbor as himself-Did all "for the sake of -Christ"-Paid tithes "He was honest enough as millers come" Appearance: -Strong-Carried a shield and sword-Broad red beard-Large wide black nostrils-Big red wart with black hairs on his nose-Big mouth ("Like a furnace door")-Wore a white coat with a blue hood Activities: -Milled grain -Told ribald/uncouth ballads & jokes-Prize-winning wrestler- Stole corn; overcharged his clients- Blew bagpipes - Led the pilgrims! Other: -Appearance matches his uncouth disposition -A country cheat! Appearance: Not a clue! Activities: Buys and sells for a college of 30 lawyers-kind of like a caterer Other: City Cheat - and very good at it!-buys discounted goods so he can pocket extra $ Appearance: Slender with long, lean legsClose-shaven (no beard)Short hair; tonsure like a priestRode a dappled-gray stallion - ScotWore a long blue coat, hitched up and tiedCarried a RUSTY sword Activities: -Serf in charge of keeping an estate in order -oversight of his lord's land, stock, funds, and laborers-Sole steward since the lord was 20-Carpenter by trade-Shrewd in aquisitions (for self - even more than his lord!)~cheats his lord-Feared by the laborers-Kept the books well (honestly?) Other: -Fiery temper - "They were afraid of him as of the death."-Manor Cheat!-"No auditor could ever on him win"-Comes LAST in pilgrimage Appearance:-Scary!!!!-Fiery red face, pocked & pimpled with nobs and nubbins on his cheeks-Narrow eyes with thin brows-Scabby black beard-Bad breath-Huge garland on his head Paid to summon sinners for trialin the church court Activities: Loved to drinkSpoke Latin when drunkJob: summon violators of canon law to ecclesiastical court Other:-Accepted bribes-Seems to blackmail youths Creepy!

With A sail,A veil,Some stonesAnd bones -His conscience was plastic,this noble ecclesiastic! Symbolism!-springtime =new beginnings, rebirth Why April? But none the less, whilst I have time and space, Before yet farther in this tale I pace,It seems to me accordant with reasonTo inform you of the state of everyoneOf all of these, as it appeared to me,And who they were, and what was their degree,And even how arrayed there at the inn;And with a knight thus will I begin A pilgrimage to.... ...they to Canterbury wend, The holy blessed martyr there to seekWho helped them when they lay so ill and weak. How Many?? There came at nightfall to that hostelrySome nine and twenty in a company "...loved chivalry / Truth, honor, freedom and all courtesy" "...bore himself as meekly as a maid. / He never yet had any vileness said" "For he had lately come from his voyage/ And was now going on this pilgrimage" modestly dressed = concerned about what he is doing and not how he looks. -"So hot he loved that, while night told her tale,/ He slept no more than does a nightingale" Qualities: Appearance: HUGE forehead "Fair forehead" = a sign of good breeding / intelligence Blue eyes, small red mouth Coral bracelet Golden brooch Coral - defense against temptation / a love charm "Amor vincit omnia" = Love conquers all Irony of Name:

-name of romantic heroine in literature of the time-not appropriate name for a nun! Qualities: -good manners, but extreme-speaks french, but poorly-tries to appear more refined than she is Keeps little dogs - $$?? Physical Appearance: Sleeves trimmed in grey furGold jewelryBald headFATVery nice horseGreyhounds Members of the church are dressed well and seem to be the most well-off **Corruption of Church ** Qualities: -loves hunting - keeps hunting dogs and fancy horses-monks not supposed to b/c a "waste of money"-why so much $$ to spare?? vows of poverty?? -ignores the rules of being a monk b/c he thinks they are outdated Qualities: -well liked-listened to confessions -"He was an easy man to give penance / When knowing he should gain a pittance"-"Therefore, instead of weeping and of prayer / Men should give silver to poor friars all bare" -Corrupt and Greedy-spends a lot of time in bars-friendly with barmaids-thinks he as above dealing with poor and sick Quotations: IRONY - Madeleine = version of Magdelene (saint, repentant sinners) "The remedies of love she knew, perchance, / For of that art she'd learned the old, old dance" "By Christ's own lore, and His apostles twelve/ He taught, but first he followed it himselve" Priest = gold Common man = iron -"Living in peace and perfect charity" Irony: "Now is it not of God a full fair grace/ That such a vulgar man has wit to pace" -"He had a face that little children feared" Ugly outside = Ugly inside "In his power had he, and at ease,The boys and girls of all the diocese, And knew their secrets, and by counsel led." Appearance: -yellow hair that hangs in thick waxy locks.-thin-smooth face - can't grow a beard-carries a bag of "relics" Activities: -Job = listen to confessions and pardon sins- CORRUPT!! (the most evil??)-Scam Artist: pillowcase = Our True Lady's veilsail of Saint Peterpig's bones = Saint's bones-has a polished tongue for storytelling The Host Appearance:-a large man -protruding eyes Other: -"bold in his speech, and wise, and right well taught" -"a very merry man" *Creates the game for traveling to Canterbury (Innkeeper: Harry Bailly)